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LiveScience
LiveScience
Jamie Carter

NASA telescope uncovers new mystery in supernova first spotted by Chinese astronomers 2,000 years ago —‬ Space photo of the week

NASA Space IXPE
A circular array of blue and pink and orange gas swirls against a dark starry background.
Quick facts

What it is: RCW 86, a supernova remnant

Where it is: 8,000 light-years away, in the constellation Circinus

When it was shared: March 24, 2026

One of the oldest recorded astronomical events observed by humans has gotten a fresh look from a new NASA space telescope. In A.D. 185, Chinese astronomers recorded the appearance of a "guest star" in the night sky. The star shone for about eight months in the direction of Alpha Centauri, one of the closest star systems to the sun.

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